Gun-cartridge.



R0. 694,896. l Paten'd Mar. 4, 19H2.

R." W. SCOTT.

GUN CARTRIDGE.

(Application lad Dec. 21. 1900. Renewed Sept. 20, 190m (No Model.)

v AF

Franti..

ROBERT W. scoTT, or PinLADnLrHrA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssieN'oI-t or; QNE* yj Imtr To Louis N. DpwILLmMs, 'on AsHBoUnNn, PENNsrLvANI/t:,

A" wPEGIFIGATION forming part of Ltters'latent No. 694,896, dated March d, 1902. i

Applicaticn filed Detember 31, 1900. rlicaliewed September 20,1901. Serial N. 75,9'33. (No modal.)

To all whom t may concern:

' Beit known that LROBERT W. S coTT,a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadel- -phi'a,Iennsylvania, haveinvented certain Im- 5 provements in GunC'artridges, of which the following is a specification. 1

The object of my invention is to provide for the firing with one aim and at one discharge from the single bore of a gun of a series of projectiles in such manner that a true Hight of each projectile will be maintained and closey shooting, thereby insured. yThis object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which-- r Figure 1 is a sectional view of the breech portion of a gun having inserted therein a muitiple-shot cartridge embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view ofasmall shot or grapeshot cartridge constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 3 is a view of a cartridge similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating another, Fig;

method of carrying out my invention. j 4 -1s an enlarged transverse section on the line verse sections illustrating modifications of the idea embodied in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig, Sis a view of a large-caliber projectile constructed forluse in .carrying out my invention, and Fig. 9 is a view ofstill another formof projectile made in accordance with the invention.

Heretoiorev in order to eiect the simultane- `ons firingl of a multiplicity of projectiles at one discharge from the rilied bore of a gun a '35 barrelhas beennsed containing as many' b'ores as there are projectiles to vbe red,each bore receiving a separate projectile; Experience has demonstrated, however, that it is rne-Y chanically impossible .to form a number of rie-bores of required length and maintain even approximate parallelism of the same, and the consequence has been that while Lone 'of the projectiles might go true as' aimed the others would be deflected in the same mensure that `the other' bores devated from a truementwith the sightsof' the gun. This is .strike the target sideWise. experiment; however, that if theuprojectil'es 75 A -are separated one from another when they? Fig. 3.l Figs.'5, 6, and 7 are like transalinernentuwith the one which was in alinei. approximate truth-only being attaincda'fter2v tediousl and careful adjustment.

y In certain rapid-fire automatic small'armscontrolled by delicate and complicated mechanisrn the attempt has beenmade tol irease? 555- ries of bullets in rapidsuccession, so'as taligamount practically to simultaneous projec-- tion; but in this case aflso the bullets will not'V strike a target close together, althoughissul ing from 'a bore common to them all, forthewo."

simple reason that the recoil cau'sed'by'ieach shot tends to deflect the bullet fired by the u succeeding shot. l

If an attempt is madeto fire a series of pro Y jectiles from the single boreeof va gun at'on'e `65 discharge, by disposing'the projectiles one advance of another in the bore of the'gun accurate 'shooting is impossible, becausethe;r contact of the-projectiles one with another asf-' they leave the muzzle of the gun causes wide 7 o delectionof the projectiles, and in the case.v

of elongated projectiles most, if not all of them, will keyhole-that is to say, Will.

I have foundA leave the muzzle ofthe gun this diflicultyl-i's overcome and, the projectiles will proceed y. end on and will remain so closely grouped that very effective shooting even at long range-8. V' Y v can be accomplished, the truth of tlie aim beii ing maintained,- while at the same time the.'

danger zone-is so greatly increased,botli verj ticallyand laterally, that much greatereXecutionis possiblethan with a single shot. '85 The mosteective'method of separating the.

projectile I find to be by interpos'ing a smallV A explosive chargebetweeneach projectile and ,g

that in front of it, so that when the project# ing charge is fired these interposed charges 9o will also be exploded and gas will be generated under such pressure' between the successive n l projectiles that the desired separation ofthe samewlll be accomplished. @ther .means of n attaining the rs\1ltwithin thescope of' my 95 invention may, however, beadopted.` .For in.

stance, air or gas undersuch pressure as to .resist theimpuls'e of the projecting charge l may be introduced between the successive projectiles in preparing the cartridge and roo maintained until ...t-lievcartridgejis red ;I but by the action of the projecting charge the air' contained between the projectiles would be suticiently compressed to insure Ithe desired separation of .the projectiles as they left the muzzle; but this-w-ouid require an additional length of tiring-'chamber and cartridge.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 represents the breech portion f a gun-barrel; 2, part of the ritled bore ot the same;r 3, the powder-chamber of the cartridge, and 4, 5, 6, and 7a series of projectiles disposed one Vin advance of another in the contracted projectile-receiving portion 8 of the cartridge-casing. Between the point or nose of each of the projectiles 4, 5, and 6 and the butt of the projectile in advance of it is a space containing a mass of explosive'material 9 and a mass'offulminate 10; the latter being in position to be acted upon by the point of the following projectile when thecharge in the powder-chamber of the pro- .iectile has been exploded and the projectiles start to move forwardly through the bore of the gun as the result of such explosion. v By this means eachof the masses of explosive material 9 is fired, and in consequence a volume of gas under high tension is produced between the successive projectiles, which has b he electof maintaining the separation ofthe projectiles while in the gun and after they leave the muzzle. HenceI rid that each proectile main-tainssubstantiall y as true a fiight is though separate] y fired. I -have found, noreover, that with a certain powder charge ind a series of projectiles each of given weight :he extent ot penetration of each projectile stas-great as thatofas'i'ng'le projectile of the llame weight as one of the series tired with a ike powder charge, and as aresultzof repeatad experiments I find that there are nojkeyrole shots, thus indicatingthat the elect of he riding in causing the projectile to mainaina true line of flight is preserved in the yase of each of thfe series of projectiles. It las been further demonstrated that the traectory common to-theseries of projectiles is nite as at as that of the usual single shot.

In fi ring grape-shot or. other projectiles conainingsmall shotI can adoptthe form of artridge shownin Fig. 2, each projectile in his case consistingoft' a light cup-shaped cas# vig 11,0 f thin metalnrotheravailablematerial, ontaining the particles of shot, a mass otrexlesive i)a and fulminate 10 being interposed etweenihe front end of each casing 11 and 1c rear end of vthe' casing in advance,-

As shownin Fig.'2, 'thefulminate is disoscd so as to bc fired -by contact with 'the deesse main and supplementary charges, or the latlfront edge of the casing as tir atter moves f' forward on the explosion ofjthe"projectingcharge; but it may, if desired; be exploded 7a by contact with the .shot containedA in thev casing. i. The casings ll are held in the portion S of the cartridge-case by means of a wad l2, sinii-` lar to that of an ordinary shot-cartridge; but any other means of be employed'. When a cartridge of this character is tired, it is contemplated that the light cup-shaped shells 11,0wing to the resistance of the air,will he thrown ont ofthe path of the'sm allshot,and thus will notnterfere with thedirect'forward ightof thelatter. Each mass ofshot,withits containing-case, is to be regarded as a t projectile in the sense in which the term ishere- 8 5 in used, it being immaterial to certain embodi ments of my invention whether the projectile is a single ora multiple body." g I-n Fig. 3 I have shown a cartridge iiyiiich the use of fulminate between the successive projectiles is abandoned, each projectile ex cept the leading one having a central longitudinal opening whereby each of the interposed explosive masses 9 is placed in communication with the main explosive charge 3 ofthe cartridge. Hence when the latteris tired the explosive charges 9 will also be iired and the desired generation of gas under treme tension between the successive project'- -iles will be effected. The sameresult may,

75 retaining thesame may 'it will be evident, be attained by' forming a groove in the periphery of the projectile, as shown in Fig. 5, for instance, or the interior of the cartridge-case, as'shown in Fig. 6, or, 'especially in the case of guns 'f large caliber, the opening may be formed in thev breech portion of the gun itself, as' shown in Fig; 7, this opening communicating with each-ot the masses of explosive 9 and also with the main, explosive charge 3, and being, if desired, the means throughwhich said main explosive charge', as wellas the supplementary charges, maybe lfired, or theremay be a series'of iudependent openings, one for each explosivecharge, the aim being to eiipiode the charges 9 simultaneously with theexplosion -of the main charge 3'or as soon thereafter as possible.

It desired, a suitable fuse may connect the IIO IIS.

ter may be such as to be exploded by pressure, in whiclrcase the use of a fulminate innecessary. In-the absence of 'anyspecial passage or tended to 'be exploded by impact will be un# ipassages for electing the explosion of the in,` .terposed charges the expansion of the cartridge-shell when the gun is tired may be relied upon' to provide suiiicient space between Said shell and the projectile'sto permit of a flow of gas suicient to insure thejgnition and explosion of the interposed charges.

` ,In the case of projectiles o f llarge caliber,

wherethe projectile and powder charge do notform one cartridge, but are introduced independently into the gun, each of the' series of projectiles, except that immediately in ad- Vance of the projecting charge, may carry at the butt-end a supplementary explosive charge 18,'contained in a casing 14, oftextile or other readily-permeable or destructible material, this supplementary'charge being adapted to be tired 'either by concussion, as in Fig. 1, or by communication with the exploding agent' through a suitable passage, as in Fig.h

3,' and in some cases the supplementary charge f 'may be placed ina recess in' the butt-end'of lheprojecti'le and held therein by a'capor cover 15, of tin-foil or othersuitable material,

as shown,` for instance,.in FigsQ.

When fulminate is employed for pose of exploding the changes interposed between the projectiles, I prefer to separate the projectiles from each other to such an extent that the fulminate is'not normally in contact with the projectile, which explodes the same on firing, so that it' the cartridge is accidentally dropped in handling none of the interposed charges will be exploded. I also prefer to graduale the supplementary charges, using the lightest charge at the forward end and the heaviest at the rear, as shown, so that Ythe volumes of gas generated by the explosion of Vthese interposed masses will oier a grad uated'resistance to the forward movement of the projectiles behind them, the re- -sistance being least at the forward end of the cartridge and greatest at the rear end.

In some cases the leading supplementary charge may be exploded first through the medium of a passage in the gnu, as in Fig. 7, or'- in any other available way, the rear charges being exploded by the recoil of the projectiles in advance of the same-` The main or prot jeeting charge need not necessarily be an exthe same.

Having thus described my invention, I clzim and desire to secure by Letters Paten 1. A gun-cartridge having a casing containing a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed one in advance of another, successive projectiles being separated ,by a medium which l intel-poses a barrier of elastic iiuid under prestaneously red by sure between them when the series is simula projecting agent at the rear of said series.

2. A gun-cartridge liavingacasing containing a series of f ull-caliber projectiles disposed one in advance of another, successive prothe pur- I jectiles being separated from each other by an explosive charge which interposes a bar rier of 'elastic iiuid under pressure between 7o them when the series is simultaneously Vfired byxa 'projecting agent at the rear -of said series. 2y-

3. A gun-cartridge.consisting of a casing having an' explosive projecting chargeand a 75 series of full-caliber 'projectiles disposed one 'before another in advance of said "explosive charge, successive projectiles beingseparatedby a 'medium-whicliinterposes'a barrier of' elastic7 fluid under 'pressure' between-them' 8o whe'ufthe series'is simultaneonslyliired by the explosion' of 'said projectingcharg'e.'`

4. A gun-cartridge consisting 'of'a casing having am'ain explosive projecting charge and a series of full-caliber projectiles fd-is'- 85 posed one`before another in said casing in advance of said Y projecting charge','successive projectiles being separated from each other' by a supplementary explosive charge which. interposesa barrier of elastic fluid under pres- 9c sure between them when the series is simultaneously tired by the explosion of said pro-t jecting charge.

5. Agun-cartrdgehavinga casingcontain ing a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed 95 one in advance of another, successive projectiles-beingl separated from each other by a fulminating explosive charge lwhich in'terposes a barrier of elastic fluid under pressure between them when the series issimultaneroc ously 'fired by a projecting agent at the rear of said series.

6. A gun-cartridge consisting of a casing having a main explosive projecting' charge, and a series of fullcaliber projectiles`dis- 1105 posed one before another in the casing in ad vance of said projecting charge, successive projectiles being separated from each other'. by a fulminating explosive charge which interposes a barrier of elastic fluid under pres- 11o sure between them when the series is simult taneously tired bythe explosion of the prof jecting charge.

7. Agun-cartridge having acasing containinga series of full-caliber projectiles disposed 115 one in advance of another, successive projectiles being separated from each other by a fulminating explosive charge normally'free from compression and interposing a barrier' of elastic duid under pressure between the- 12o projectiles when the series is simultaneously Y fired by a projecting agent at the rear of said series.

8. A gun-cartridge consistingofa casing A having a main explosive projecting chargei1z5 and a series of full-caliber projectiles 'disq posed in said casing one before another in ad- Vance of said charge, successive projectiles being separated from each other by afulminating explosive charge normally free from 13o compression, and interposing a barrier of elastic fluid under pressure between the proj ectiles when the series is si multaueously fired by the explosion of the protecting charge.

10. A gun-cartridge consisting of a casingv having an explosive projecting charge, and a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed in said casing one before another in advance of said charge, and separated by mediums which will prevent contact of the projectiles as they are red, said medium oieringa graduated resistance to compression least at the forward end of the cartridge and greatest at the rear.- i

11. A gun-cartridge havingacasing containseriesof'full-caliber projectiles disposed in said casing one before another in advance 'of said chargeaand separated by graduated explosive charges least at the 'forward end of the cartridge and greatest at the rear.

In testimony vvhereoi:I I have signed my name to this. specification in the presence of Atwo subscribing witnesses.

yROBERT W. SCOTT. Witnesses:

F. E. BECHTOLD, Jos. II. KLEIN. 

